Broken Arrows

- Psalm 76:1-3

God is well known in the land of Judah.
He is famous throughout Israel,
making His home in Jerusalem, living here on Mount Zion.
That’s where He smashes every weapon of war
that comes against Him.

That’s where He uses the broken arrows
as kindling for His mighty bon fire.

Do you ever feel like a broken arrow?
Missed the mark? Shot out of the bow with such intensity, the design was compromised and broken?

Or have you ever been the recipient of the fiery arrows of the enemy aimed straight at your heart, family or friends?

Back in Settler days in this country, life was very rudimentary. Battles between cowboys and Native Americans were common place. When someone was injured by an arrow, depending on the depth, it was either pulled out, ripping the flesh even more or pushed through, creating more of a wound. However, either way, arrows did bodily damage. And they left scars.

Urban Dictionary defines Broken Arrow as a US Military code phrase meaning an American unit has been overrun and is calling in every combat aircraft for support.

If you ever feel overrun by the enemy friend, God sees and, as in the above scripture, He will smash every weapon of war that comes against Him (and His beloved).

You live in Him and He in YOU and He takes no prisoners when His children are being overrun. He may not come in right away to save the day, but take heart, because HE WILL show up in HIS perfect timing. He often delays but never denies.

Consider Proverbs 17:3 - In the same way that gold and silver are refined by fire,
the Lord purifies your heart by the tests and trials of life.

So next time you feel like or call a “broken arrow” in need of rescue and help doesn’t come immediately, breathe.

“...take heart, because HE WILL show up in HIS perfect timing”

And ask God to purify your heart through your current test and trial. When you ask THAT…..THAT’S when He moves. Because when He allows us to go through challenging circumstance, His intention is the refinement of our TRUE identity - who HE created and destined us to be. He does not and will not partner with your earthly identity as you have made it - too fat, too skinny, etc.

A dear friend of mine proposed it this way, “Just like the arrow breaks through the flesh, in the same way God wants to break through our own heart. The only difference {aside from the pain involved} is God is seeking change, life and restoration for our good and His glory!”

Pastor Joseph Prince, in his book Destined to Reign, said, “…if you don’t want your life to remain the same, the solution is not in changing your circumstances, the solution is in changing your heart [and] changing what you believe.”

God takes every arrow you’ve been hit with and uses them to create His mighty bon fire, which is exactly where the refining takes place.

Will you allow Him to refine you? It hurts… a lot. But the result is always beautiful because THAT’s who God is. THAT’s what He does. He gives us beauty for ashes when we invite Him in to our situations and ask Him to change us.

So next time you’re in the thick of it, instead of asking God to change your circumstances, first ask Him to change you THROUGH the circumstances and be amazed at what He does.